GOP leaders are recommending that five states lose half of their Republican National Convention delegates for moving their primary elections earlier.
At least one state, South Carolina, is considering legal action in an effort to keep its delegates.
The other states facing possible punishment are New Hampshire, Florida, Michigan and Wyoming.
RNC chairman Mike Duncan says it is very important that the party uphold and enforce the rules that were unanimously voted into place at the 2004 convention. The rules ban holding primaries before February 5th.
Iowa and Nevada plan to hold Republican caucuses in January, but they won't be penalized because, technically, the caucuses aren't binding on convention delegates.
The proposal now goes to the full RNC for a vote in November. Duncan has the final say.